Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-04-29
CURIOUS SPECULATION.
A Free Negro Sold Into Slavery Time and
Again Mt His Own Request.

Sitting at the Grand Hotel one even
ing, heard one of the strangest ro-
mances of modern times-strange, be-
cause it was true. How do know it
was true? Well, the man who told it is
one of Ohio's wealthiest citizens and a
man who does not tell what he is una
BILE to substantiate. But to the story.
As near as l now remember it ran as
follows:
In 1S47I was steward on the Golden
Age, one of the finest passenger boats
that piled between Cincinnati and New
Orleans. 1t was in the days before rail-
roads and kilograms and when slavery
was at its prime. Well, one day a
strapping negro entered my office, just
as we were about to sail, and asked me
how would like to go into specula-
ton with him that wonld make us a
good deal of money. l was young then
and willing to do most any thing to
make money that was honest, and told
him to proceed with his proposition.
WELL" he said, sit is as follows: lam
as likely negro as can be found in
these parts. am free man. What |
want to do is for you to take me to New
Orleans and sell me into slavery. arn
worth 800. You sell me and I'll do
what is right with YOU" His PROPOSE
ton took my breath away at first. it was
so startling.
''Do you want to 60 back into slav-
eryP" l asked, astonished.
mo, indeed, l does not" he an
swered.
"And yet you want to be sold?'
"Sure, sir, but Use likely niger,
and I'll soon be back on your hands
again"
| reasoned with the follow in vain.
He knew of no way of making money
so easily as being sold. l hesitated to
appear in the role of a slave dealer.
was opposed to slavery, but as l thought
over the subject | concluded there
would be nothing wrong in selling the
man, and at the last moment yielded to
his wishes and took him with me. Upon
arriving at New Orleans at once pro-
ceeded to the slave market, which, in
1847, was one of the principal business
places in the city. / made my object
known, and the next afternoon l was
informed the sale would take place.
gave Charley Chat was his first name)
into the custody of the brokers, and
left the market. You can rest assured
that l was on hand early the next day,
and when Charley appeared 1 hardly
knew him. He had been dressed up in
new plantation suit and had smart
cap on his head. His sleeves and
trousers were turned up. The bidding
was nvely, and you can imagine
my feelings, perhaps, as l saw
human creature sold like horse, and
knowing was responsible for it. The
auctioneer would run Charley up and
down the street like horse. and the
I planters would feel of his arms and
legs and ankles to see if there were any
blemishes. When 81, 400 was bid the
man was declared sold to prominent
planter, who gave me $1,000 in cash
and mortgage for the rest. l can tell
you it was not with the pleasantest feel
.ngs that started out on the return
trip, after having sold fellow creature
into slavery. Well, to make a long
story short, on the third or fourth trip
after that | was awakened one night by
a tap on my state-room door, and was
astonishcd to find Charley waiting on
the outside. took him down the river
with me and again sold him at Vicks.
burg. A month later he turned up
again, and l sold him at private sale
on the boat. Months rolled on, and
had sold Charles at nearly every port
on the river, and then l commenced tc
trade him off and get boot money
| would then tell the slaves
traded for. or give them their liberty,
whichever they preferred, but as my
slaves were nearly all old men. they
chose to be resold. | was doing thriv-
ing business in the slave line and had
quite name on the river. At the end
of the year the mortgages began to fall
due and collected them with great
regularity. think sold Charley fifteer
times in all, and we divided $25, 900 OF
$50, 900 between us as the result of oui
business. AS selling an escaped slave
was against the law, and l had sole
Charley fifteen times, we had to end oul
profitable investment"
what became of Charley?" asked hi!
friend.
''He went to Canada for awhile, wa,
married and had quite a family. Hi
name is Charley Fields, and he is now
living in Indiana, and is barber by
, occupation. What he did with his none,
do not know, but there are no time
now like the old ones,' and the speake
softly chuckled to himself as the stor,
was ended. Cincinnati Commercial Ga
zette.